IMAA welcomes new board member as It expands education initiatives for 2025
Jackie Alley: 'As an organisation, we remain dedicated to futureproofing the national indie media agency industry and investing in the next generation of media talent.'
The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA), the national industry body representing independent media agencies, announced a new Board of Directors today as it reaffirms its commitment to education for 2025.
New board member Michael Petersen (Pivotus CEO & founder) joins existing board members Jacquie Alley (The Media Store chief operating officer) as chair and Stephen Fagan (Media Republic director) as treasurer, along with Phil McDonald (BCM Group managing director) and Melissa Roberts (The Advertising Room CEO), as voted by members at the IMAA Annual General Meeting in November.
Petersen owns and operates media agencies in both Brisbane and Perth, and offers complementary skillsets to the current Board. He is a passionate advocate for the IMAA and the independent media agency sector.
Stephen Fagan (Media Republic director) as treasurer of IMAA.
“It’s wonderful to welcome Michael to the IMAA Board,” Alley said. “He has long been a passionate advocate for the Queensland and national indie sector and its contribution to the broader media landscape. He brings a wealth of high-level media experience to the board and his unique skills and experience complement our current Board composition.
“We’re looking forward to taking key initiatives like our IMAA Academy and our Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme to new heights in 2025. As an organisation, we remain dedicated to futureproofing the national indie media agency industry, creating critical learning and development opportunities, and investing in the next generation of media talent.”
Commenting on joining the Board, Petersen said: “It’s an honour to be elected to represent the national indie sector. I’ve been a member of the IMAA Leadership Team for many years and have been a staunch supporter of both the organisation’s work and its ethos. Having spent most of my career spearheading independent agencies, I have a deep understanding and appreciation for the indies and what they offer. I look forward to working with the IMAA Board of Directors in 2025 to continue driving the indie agenda nationwide.”
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Michael Petersen (Pivotus CEO & founder).
The new Board will be critical in launching the association’s key initiatives in 2025, including its highly successful and award winning IMAA Academy.
Heading into its third year in 2025, the academy is the organisation’s most significant education initiative – a landmark, comprehensive learning platform built by the sector to lead industry education.
Since its inception, the platform has trained hundreds of independent media professionals via its eight e-learning modules, covering media, audio, digital, cinema, TV, out-of-home, regional, and publishing and news, along with videos, digital glossaries, and podcasts featuring industry leaders and channel experts.
The association also recently announced an innovative partnership with SBS for a new training module, set to go-live in 2025, focused on core inclusion skills, gender equity, cultural diversity, disability, First Nations, LGBTQI+, generational diversity and appropriate workplace behaviour.
